Press



(No Model.)

S. B. MINNIGH.

@Witwe/may v @ww/14m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON B. MINNICI-I, OF .LANDISVILLE PENNSYLVANIA,

PRESS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,339, dated July 12,1887.

Application mea ,lm-.12s, 18er.

To all whom i6 may concern:

Beit known that l, SIMON B. MINNIcH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Landisvillc, in the count-y of Lancaster' and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Iniprovements in Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to baling-'presses, and is an improvement upon a tobacco-press for which Letters Patent No. 173,736, dated February 22, 1876, were granted me; and it'consists in the construction and combination of the various parts, as herei nafter fully described and claimed, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which forni a part of this specification, in which- Fignrel is a top view of my press; Fig. 2, a side view, and Fig. 3 an end view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side View of the means of applying power to the shaft. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side viezv of the clamp at the ends; Fig. 6, an enlarged top view of the same; and Fig. 7, a vertical cross-section through one of the sides on theline cc x, showing the vertical ratchet.

Similar letters refer to si milar parts throughout the several views.

S represents the press-beam, formed of a piece of metal set on edge, and having somewhat the shape of an S, one lobe or curve, s, resting upon one side of the longitudinal piece I of the follower, and the other, s', upon the other side, the intersection ofthe curvesbeing at the center of the plank I, and the ends ofthe beam extending over the center of the ends of the plank. and out of the narrow space c between the sections() of the ends of the box. The beam is strengthened bya truss, composed ofthe postT, at the center, and the tension-rod t, secured to the beam near the ends, and supported in thc middle by said post. The ends of the beam are turned downward and furnished with an opening, o, by which the windlass-chains H are attached. Turning down the ends of the beam prevents any tendency it might otherwise have to turn sidewise. By

the use of this beam the sections of the end pieces can be brought closer together, having the space which divides them of equal width from top 'to bottom, and the pressure upon the follower is distributed over a greater surface,

and is at all times exerted in a direct vertical direction. y

f The catches by which I connect the sides A ofthe press while the contents are being pressed arecomposed of two sections, one bolted to each of the sections C of each end, and having the outer end of each section embracing the corner of the press by means of the ears p g',

The sec- 'tion Q is jointed, the outer end, 1, being bolted to give a better hold to the catches.

fast, and having jawsj, in which the end J is pivoted by the screw-boltj. The free end of the part J is supplied with al hook, h, for engaging with the other section, I), ofthe catch. The section P is also bolted to the press and supplied with jaws at its inner end. At the mouth of these jaws a curved lever, L, is pivoted on the screw-bolt b. The lever when in its normal position curves downward from the eye through the jaws, as atl, and then upward through the rear of the opening between said jaws, terminating in a rearwardly-extending handle, Z. The hook h elnbraces the eye p of the lever L, which is cam-shaped on its inner side, with its end resting upon the bearing-lip 1J', projecting inward from thelever just below the eye. W'hen the press is packed, these catches are subjected to great pressure; but notwithstanding this the application ofaslight force to the lever, with the action of the camshapcd eye, readily disconnects the parts of the catch. As this press is now constructed, the corners are secured by angle-irons, the arms thereof extending well over the side and end pieces, and being bolted thereto to prevent any spreading of those parts under the severe strain to which they are subjected. I also make use of other means `for turning the shaft.

In addition to the ratchet M, used in my iuvention previously mentioned, to which the detached lever is applied, I use a second ratchet, E, with a pawl, V, on the shaft K, placing it several inches out from the face of the press, and near and about on a line with it I have a pin, G, projecting. The detachable lever D is provided witha link, E, hinged to one side near the lower end, adapted to be folded up against the side of the lever D when not in use, and there held by a catch, F. In

IOC

use, the concavities of the plates d on the lower end of the lever D are engaged with the pin G, the link is connected with one of the teeth of the ratchet, and the power applied to the lever. In this way much increase of power is obtained over the old means employed.

The ends of the beam I of the follower are strengthened by metal bands i, which project above the upper face of said beam, where they are supplied with centrally-located grooves k, which receive the lower edges of the beam S, and preserve it from lateral motion.

Upon the inner face of each side wall there are secured two or three vertical racks,U, with their teeth turned downward, as shown in Fig. 7. These racks tend to prevent the uprising of hay or similar articles being baled, which have been pressed down, when the follower is raised to permit the press to be replenished.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The combination, with the follower I and 'the chains H and their operating mechanism, of the S-shaped press-beams, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

said press-beam, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a press, ofthe catches secured to the end sections of the press, one section, Q, of the catch having a hook, h, adapted to engage with the other section, P, and the section P, provided with alever,where by the two sections are disconnected, substantiall y as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in a press, of the catches secured tothe end sections of the press, one section, vQ, of the catch having a hook, h, adapted to engage with the other section, P, and the section P, provided with a cam-lever, L, whereby the two sections are disconnected, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

SIMON B. MINNICH.

fitnesse's'f WM. R. GERHART, M. N. BRUEAKER. 

